Nashville (6-4-1): I was never a big Poile fan but he constantly finds players to replenish his team, even from surprise defection to Russia.
This group of forwards does not inspire me much but they somehow manage to score and buzz around enough to disrupt their opponents. What I appreciate much more is the quality of the young defensemen on this team. Weber has 12pts in 11 games so far and the confidence placed on him (by letting go of Timmonen & Zlidicky) is paying off. Ryan Suter plays a style quite different from his uncle but he is extremely effective.
6th place seems about right for the Predators but the Western Conference is not lacking on playoffs contenders so the battle will be fierce to keep that spot.
Rating: B
Outlook: same
Edmonton (6-4-1): While most pundits placed the Oilers right there in the thick of things, I simply do not see that in that team and predicted a last place finish in the NorthWest division.
The forwards are speedy, I'll give you that but there isn't much real scoring there apart from Hemsky & probably Gagner if he bulks up or gets better linemates to distract the opposition. Listen, when Ethan Moreau is your 2nd highest scoring forward with 3 goals & 7pts in 11 games, don't come tell me this is an awesome group of talent!
More to the point, no team should have 4 defensemen among their top 7 scorers. That defense is extremely mobile and supports the offense wonderfully but I am not sure how far that will take you with the makeup of this team. The nastiness that Pronger brought was never replaced and is sorely missing from this blueline.
The battle for a playoff spot has just started in Northern Alberta!
Rating: C
Outlook: going down
Chicago (6-3-3): Stop the presses! Martin Havlat has not yet missed a game! Not that he has helped the Hawks much as they ended up the first month 8th in the Western Conference.
The team is developing nicely around Kane, Toews & Sharp on offense and Campbell, Keith & Seabrook on defense. There is however much left to be done to transform this team into a contender. The Hawks have the best example right next door with the Wings.
How will this team hold up through the season? Very hard to predict where they will finish.
Rating: C
Outlook: same
Vancouver (6-6-0): Not bad for a team with no offense. What a wasteland this looked at the beginning of the year after the Sedin twins... but somehow some players are stepping up and providing some much needed secondary scoring. Strangely, all that happened once Demitra went down with injury: Wellwood was called up and is playing a very strong position game and gets all those workman goals that nobody used to get before.
Kesler & Burrows are also continuing their progression from late last year, transforming their line from a purely shutdown defensive unit into one of those most annoying line to play against.
The emergence of Bieksa & Edler on the blueline has masked the slow decline of Ohlund and Salo but this group is not as strong as it was previously.
Of course, all that is written above is somehow secondary in Vancouver. While he hasn't been Turco bad, Luongo has not had a great start... but with 2 shutouts in his last 4 games, this might indicate another of those hot streaks on the way and that is all the Canucks would need to jump from 9th to 3rd in the Western Conference.
There are some nice pieces in Vancouver but not enough so all will rest on Luongo's shoulders once again.
Rating: C
Outlook: going up
Saint Louis (5-5-0): The loss of Erik Johnson was a crushing blow, not only for this year but more importantly for long term development.
I am not a fan of rebuilding team filling up their top lines with veterans but maybe this is the best route for the Blues. They have some nice young talent up front but I dont know if they are ready for top line duties and the pressure it brings. Still, seing Kariya, McDonald & Tkachuk all with over 17mins tells me there is lots of ice time those kids could have and are not.
.500 feels like overachievement for the Blues so far and I can't see them do much better than that for the rest of the year.
Rating: C
Outlook: going down
Showing posts with label Meddling Middle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Meddling Middle. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
Monthly Evaluation: Eastern Meddling Middle
New Jersey: Where would this team be without Parise & Brodeur? The greatest goaltender in the history of the NHL, Brodeur is not letting up as he gets up in age, having played in all 10 games of his team and sporting a nasty 2.16 GAA with 2 shutouts. And that is a good thing too as this team is not generating much offense. Parise has elevated his game and is among the league leaders with 9 goals and 14 points but this group of forwards scare very few in the league.
Greene, Martin, Oduya, White, Mottau & Salvador form a nice group that appears better than they are due to stellar goaltending behind them.
It's hard to see this group win the Atlantic but it's also hard to see them slip down much. This is a hard working group that belongs right there in the middle of the pack.
Rating: C
Outlook: same
Pittsburgh: What does that tell you when a team has the best goalie in the league (so far) and 2 of the top 3 point leaders and is 7th in the conference standings? Something will need to be done to find wingers for Crosby & Malkin! and not bottom shelf free agency pick ups like Satan & Fedetenko (shouldn't the fact the Islanders didn't want them tell you something???). Jordan Staal doesn't appear ready to resign before reaching restricted free agency next summer so it would be wise to see what type of return he may bring before Carolina or another team lays out a long heavy-handed contract for him.
On the back end, youngsters Letang & Goligoski are picking up the slack for injured Gonchar but this team will need better stay-at-home defensemen than Hal Gill, Eaton & Scuderi to be considered a complete team. Especially with smallish, offensive-minded guys like Gonchar, Letang & Goligoski, this team will need some strong complements to provide some support to Fleury, even though the young goaltending finally seems to blossom into one of the elite.
Rating: D-
Outlook: going up
Toronto: This is simply unbelievable. How can this team be 5-4-3 and 8th in the Conference?? Noone has more than 9 points, the goalies are not even over .900 in save percentage & Dominic Moore is playing 16mins a night.
Ron Wilson deserves some serious credit for turning this team into a tough opponent. It seems to be a case of Buffalo jr with all lines contributing their little bit with the team somehow finding a way to win.
I really doubt this will continue though. Goal differential (34 goals for, 41 against) do show that there is a far amount of luck and "good breaks" which tend to disapear as things get heated and the season progresses.
Still a great step in the right direction for the Leafs... unless it turns management's head and they think they have the makeup of a contender and move away from the rebuilding process.
Rating: A
Outlook: way down
Washington: Weren't the Caps supposed to run over the SouthEast this year? Maybe once Ovechkin gets back on track and decides to score more goals than Dave Steckel but this is a team with many holes. Semin & Green have been great but there is flagrant lack of talent at the forward position. Fleischmann, Gordon, Steckel, Fehr, Bradley have all shown some nice potential but seem unable to get over the hump and produce at the NHL level.
The defense corps has the makings of a nice group with Green, Schultz & Erskine but some serious talent will need to be added if the goaltending situation is not addressed. The Theodore signing which looked like a passable yet desperate move in August is now looking like the mistake of the year, Free Agency wise. The Caps would have been better saving that money and going with Brent Johnson until the kids grow up or a better option appears.
Missing the playoffs would be extremely disapointing for last year's Cinderella team.
Rating: D
Outlook: going up
Tampa Bay: The simple fact a team coached by Barry Melrose has more than 1 win is quite an accomplishment and should warrant an A rating! Regardless of their weird coaching choice, I like the retooling done by the Lightning.
They lack some toughness but can roll out 4 good lines, 3 of them extremely quick on their feet which affects opposing defense more than it may appear too.
The defense group is quite .... let's go with non-descript to stay polite. The group is however mobile and has the ability to make a good first pass out of the zone which might be all that is needed if Mike Smith continues with his .941 save percentage!
Tampa might end up battling for the Southweak division title but I think a hard battle for the 8th spot is where they will end out.
Rating: C
Outlook: same
Greene, Martin, Oduya, White, Mottau & Salvador form a nice group that appears better than they are due to stellar goaltending behind them.
It's hard to see this group win the Atlantic but it's also hard to see them slip down much. This is a hard working group that belongs right there in the middle of the pack.
Rating: C
Outlook: same
Pittsburgh: What does that tell you when a team has the best goalie in the league (so far) and 2 of the top 3 point leaders and is 7th in the conference standings? Something will need to be done to find wingers for Crosby & Malkin! and not bottom shelf free agency pick ups like Satan & Fedetenko (shouldn't the fact the Islanders didn't want them tell you something???). Jordan Staal doesn't appear ready to resign before reaching restricted free agency next summer so it would be wise to see what type of return he may bring before Carolina or another team lays out a long heavy-handed contract for him.
On the back end, youngsters Letang & Goligoski are picking up the slack for injured Gonchar but this team will need better stay-at-home defensemen than Hal Gill, Eaton & Scuderi to be considered a complete team. Especially with smallish, offensive-minded guys like Gonchar, Letang & Goligoski, this team will need some strong complements to provide some support to Fleury, even though the young goaltending finally seems to blossom into one of the elite.
Rating: D-
Outlook: going up
Toronto: This is simply unbelievable. How can this team be 5-4-3 and 8th in the Conference?? Noone has more than 9 points, the goalies are not even over .900 in save percentage & Dominic Moore is playing 16mins a night.
Ron Wilson deserves some serious credit for turning this team into a tough opponent. It seems to be a case of Buffalo jr with all lines contributing their little bit with the team somehow finding a way to win.
I really doubt this will continue though. Goal differential (34 goals for, 41 against) do show that there is a far amount of luck and "good breaks" which tend to disapear as things get heated and the season progresses.
Still a great step in the right direction for the Leafs... unless it turns management's head and they think they have the makeup of a contender and move away from the rebuilding process.
Rating: A
Outlook: way down
Washington: Weren't the Caps supposed to run over the SouthEast this year? Maybe once Ovechkin gets back on track and decides to score more goals than Dave Steckel but this is a team with many holes. Semin & Green have been great but there is flagrant lack of talent at the forward position. Fleischmann, Gordon, Steckel, Fehr, Bradley have all shown some nice potential but seem unable to get over the hump and produce at the NHL level.
The defense corps has the makings of a nice group with Green, Schultz & Erskine but some serious talent will need to be added if the goaltending situation is not addressed. The Theodore signing which looked like a passable yet desperate move in August is now looking like the mistake of the year, Free Agency wise. The Caps would have been better saving that money and going with Brent Johnson until the kids grow up or a better option appears.
Missing the playoffs would be extremely disapointing for last year's Cinderella team.
Rating: D
Outlook: going up
Tampa Bay: The simple fact a team coached by Barry Melrose has more than 1 win is quite an accomplishment and should warrant an A rating! Regardless of their weird coaching choice, I like the retooling done by the Lightning.
They lack some toughness but can roll out 4 good lines, 3 of them extremely quick on their feet which affects opposing defense more than it may appear too.
The defense group is quite .... let's go with non-descript to stay polite. The group is however mobile and has the ability to make a good first pass out of the zone which might be all that is needed if Mike Smith continues with his .941 save percentage!
Tampa might end up battling for the Southweak division title but I think a hard battle for the 8th spot is where they will end out.
Rating: C
Outlook: same
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